Intellectuals do not enter
Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind ... or other status. Your unfriendly neighborhood list ; Participation of intellectual professions Noein Fri, 28 May 2010 21:57:14 I think it is important to think how many of the intellectual profession don't collaborate and why. ---- David Goodman Fri, 28 May 2010 22:57:39 One of the problems is the reception they get--a great many experts do not take it kindly when they are challenged by the ignorant, and get no respect for their qualifications, or even negative comments about them. But there is no way of keeping WP open and preventing them from being subjected to this. It affects not just academic experts, but experts in all sorts of fields and knowledgeable amateurs also. Some experts can deal with it well, and a few have been known to go for years on WP without mentioning their academic status. Some have the art of explaining things to make them clear to anyone who is not willfully misunderstanding, and the patience to do it. These are the kind of people we need. Alas, the one's who cannot tolerate the fools are probably never going to be able to work effectively in a WP environment. ---- Virgilio A. P. Machado Sat, 29 May 2010 08:26:40 This an interesting topic which ties in very well with others that I have been discussing in this list. Noein presented part of the problem. Dr. Goodman, with whom I had the pleasure of exchanging some comments before, added some more very important information. He mentions "ignorants" and "fools". I have called them worse, but that's besides the point. What I find deplorable is the sorry state of cronyism and complicity so pervasive in several (but fortunately not all) Wikimedia projects that allows "ignorants" and "fools" to prevail. The spectacle of seeing someone with qualifications similar to those of the professors who are giving you so much grief in school is just too entertaining to pass. So is the spectacle of seeing a colleague that "cannot tolerate the fools" fail to work effectively in a WP environment. I am indeed a bit short on examples where the community has stand up to the "ignorants" and "fools", in favor of the inexperienced expert or the well meaning do gooder. I'm sorry most of you are not enough knowledgeable of the Portuguese language to ever had been able to interfere in the abuse and travesty of proper procedure (It's impossible to call that justice. It will be too offensive to what justice is) that I and others have had to endure in the Portuguese Wikipedia. At least I never notice your participation there, but records and written testimonies of the abusive behavior I mention are abundant. ; Bericht zur Verleihung der Zedler-Medaille und Academy Milos Rancic Sat, 27 Nov 2010 00:41:36 ... our recruitment base are not well formed scientists, but high school students who are interested in Wikipedia (and other Wikimedia projects) per se. ----- Russell Nelson Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:05:14 Why would people with these expertises be useful? Wikipedia is very frustrating to people with expertise in a field, because Wikipedia places zero value on their expertise. ... I'm not calling into question the citation needed policy, but instead the idea that domain experts (professional, teachers, scientists) are needed to improve Wikipedia. ---- Milos Rancic Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:12:33 Ideally, encyclopedists shouldn't be experts in particular fields, but experts in writing encyclopedia: those who are able to compile known facts into readable articles, according to the encyclopedic rules. Human rights On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights .... Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories."http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml ; Preamble Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, ... the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, ... Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, ... Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge, Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance ... Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind ... or other status. Article 7. ... All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination. Article 28. Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized. Article 29. (1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible. (2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society. (3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations. Article 30. Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any ... group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein. NEXT Why Wikipedia Must Jettison Its Anti-Elitism Sand Castles of Knowledge : Expert retention Category:Human Rights in Cyberspace